What Price Justice? At Least Half A Billion

In the wake of two major defense contracting scandals, Boeing is reportedly now about to pay the piper. The only question now appears to be... how much?

The Wall Street Journal reports Boeing is in the final stages of negotiations with the US Department of Justice over punishment on two unrelated cases.

The company is hashing out its penalty for the theft of Lockheed-Martin documents pertaining to the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle project in the 1990s. And then there's the case of former Air Force contracting official Darleen Druyun... who helped Boeing get a $23 billion deal to build new refueling tankers in return for a job.

Citing anonymous sources close to the proceedings, the Journal reports Boeing appears willing to pay a staggering $500 million in fines and penalties for its role in the two cases... while some officials at the Department of Justice want to see something like $750 million.

Boeing refuses to talk about the issues, except to stress its willingness to cooperate with authorities.

"The company has stayed engaged with the Justice Department and the US attorney's offices in a constructive way as we continue to work through the issues," Boeing spokesman John Dern told the Associated Press.

Federal officials have nothing to say at all.

FMI: www.usdoj.gov, www.boeing.com